


Take a Leap! (and do not fall)

by Floranna



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Minor Cassandra Pentaghast/Varric Tethras
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-08-17 05:56:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8132900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Floranna/pseuds/Floranna
Summary: This is how it begun.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kauri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kauri/gifts).



> Thank you Havvke for your awesome betawork! English isn't my first language so their help was invaluable. ^^

If there was something in this part of the Hinterlands, it was well hidden in the underbrush. Cine insisted on picking up every possible weed and animal carcass, and Solas wasn't the only one who had developed a tick every single time they heard her shriek and rush toward a single elfroot. All of them had their packs full of miscellaneous vegetation, and unless they unloaded some, he would swear that Cine's bag would burst.

"This seems to be a good spot for a camp," the Seeker's voice rung out. The dwarf let out an audible sound of relief, but Cine looked unsure. "But I hoped to make a bit more progress..."

"We have walked for miles, and on the next trek there are only few, if any, adequate camping spots. It's better to rest now and cross that part wholly tomorrow, Inquisitor."

Cine bit her lip and nodded reluctantly. She looked terribly young, but Solas knew that she was an adult by the standards of her people. To be honest he was terrible at telling humans' ages, and if the Inquisitor's age had ever come up, he had missed it.

"For Maker's sake Cassandra, it's Cine! Caroline if you want to be formal. Don't 'Inquisitor' me, please."

Cassandra let out a frustrated noise. "It's not respectful to–"

"I don't care. You are my friends and all of my friends call me Cine." She turned her head and squinted in a jokingly suspicious manner at Solas. "And you! You have been doing well, but remember, I will be watching you."

Solas coughed out a laugh and nodded, smiling. Cine snorted and plopped her bag down and started to unload it. The rest of them followed suit.

When the tents had been put up and the fire was going, the Inquisitor stood up and announced that she was going for a quick wash. She walked straight through the thick underbrush, and all of them could hear her cursing when she slipped and fell down. It told a lot about how common this occurrence was when none of them even blinked or bothered to check on her.

When she was out of earshot, the dwarf opened his mouth. "As much as I like Ginger, I don't know if I can carry half the forest she insists we take."

The seeker snorted. "You do not even carry the most of it, Varric. I see no reason why you should complain."

"Ah, but unlike you, I haven't got muscles large enough to carry a whole tree's worth of greenery. And my bag is smaller." Varric said all of this without a blink of an eye, making the Seeker snort loudly at the utter lie.

"It is not!"

"Well, I have far more stuff."

"What you have is those... bombs and concoctions you could destroy our camp with, if you were to roll on top of them in your sleep you would kill us all in seconds."

"Want to become my buffer then?" the dwarf said, his eyes darkening when he looked at the Seeker. Cassandra actually _blushed_ , making Solas feel like he was interrupting something very private. He stood up quickly, giving some sort of an excuse, and left the camp.

He realized that he was walking towards Cine only when he heard some muffled cursing coming ahead. He hesitated a bit, but continued on, making as much noise as possible to warn her for his arrival. He knew she wouldn't hesitate to call him off if she didn't want to see him.

She was bent over a stream, washing her face. Solas paused, waiting for her to stopt to say what was on his mind. She gave him a quick look, and splashed water one last time before standing up. She had removed her shirts, and was standing before him wearing only her pants and bandeau. She had never been shy about her body, saying that it had been trained out of her in the Circle.

"Did they chase you away?" She grinned at him, with her slightly crooked teeth on full display. He paused, which made her let out a small guffaw.

"You know, there is a small betting pool going on at how long it will take for them to share a bed."

Solas snorted, which made her grin grow even wider, and answered, "My best guess would be two months."

"That's my guess too! How much do you want to bet? I put in three rounds in Herald's Rest."

"Oh, so it's not for money?"

Cine smirked. "No, just favours and services. Bull's going to give a full body massage, Blackwall offered to carve whatever the winner wants, and Sera pitched in the services of her bees." Cine bit her lip in mild trepidation. "I hope she means honey."

"Who is running it?"

"Leliana. You should tell her what time you're betting and what you're offering the next time you see her. Or use a raven! You should _definitely_ use a raven."

Solas raised an eyebrow. "You wish for me to spend precious Inquisition resources for the sake of a small bet?"

"Well, yeah." She said it calmly, with a slight smile grazing her lips. The sun was slowly starting to set, making her dark skin shine from the few remaining water droplets. Solas took a small breath to steady himself.

Cine's eyes twinkled, like she knew where his thoughts were going. Her voice took a husky timbre: "It's a matter of morale, you see?"

As a seduction, it was obvious and even clumsy. Just like her. But unlike her other clumsiness, it was completely deliberate. She was still smiling at him, waiting for his reaction. He had participated in affairs where the cajolery had lasted centuries with aching slowness, misdirection and dance.

And for some reason, he couldn't remember them being nearly as satisfactory as what the half-naked human woman in front of him was offering.

It wouldn't end well, of course. But maybe he could allow himself to... indulge.

Cine saw his posture relaxing and stepped close enough for him to feel the heat of her skin. Their noses were only a hair apart, and her breath warmed his mouth, smelling slightly of mint. Her dark eyes were twinkling with magic even he had no knowledge of.

In the end he gave in and leaned forward for a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a feeling I just started a new AU. For fucks sake... Will definitely continue this, but might take a while.
> 
> And just FYI, Cine is pronounced with an hard C, like in Caroline.


End file.
